ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I recently moved from Seattle to Dallas to be closer to his family. It has been nice because they have helped out a lot with our two younger daughters, but I am not happy here. I am far from my family, and I had to take a salary cut to move to Dallas. When we made the decision to move, it felt practical. Child care...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My in-laws and I are opposites on a cellular level when it comes to hosting. It ends up making me feel uncomfortable every time we get together, even if it's just for very small, informal family gatherings.

I was taught to set a date and time and let invitees know in advance. The host chooses the menu, and the guests may ...Read more

Dear Annie: My younger sister is turning 30 and has planned a birthday dinner at a trendy rooftop restaurant where the tasting menu is $165 per person -- not including drinks, tax or tip. She also wants us to split the cost of a professional photographer "to capture the moment for all of us."

I want to celebrate, and the dinner does sound fun...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My favorite aunt was dying. Her daughter is my favorite cousin, so I texted her almost every day with encouragement. When the doctor said the end was near, I backed off messaging to give the family space to themselves.

Thirteen days later, I received a text with a photograph of my aunt's grave. Ensuing texts and phone calls indicated...Read more

You can commune with God-as-you-perceive-him while you're out walking or riding in a car -- anytime the need surfaces. Out of that fundamental craving for connection comes a deeper hunger to go beyond known boundaries and reach a level higher than human.

That hunger, which I call churchness, draws some people toward one another, and their ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I live in New York City, and the other day, I saw someone's phone get stolen, and I didn't do anything to help. I felt bad, but ultimately, I didn't want to get hurt or have anything stolen from me in the process. I'm a little bit older, a woman and not in the best shape, so I froze in the moment and told myself it was safer to ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have MS. I know that most people are aware of what a dreadful disease it is. But when I tell someone that I have MS, as I must sometimes do, some people say "I'm sorry" -- emphasis on "sorry," as if it is a death sentence.

There are other reactions, as well, though usually not as offensive. How should I respond graciously? ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been married for 22 years to a good man. He is faithful, hardworking and, by most people's standards, a wonderful husband. He has never given me any reason to doubt his loyalty, and he has always taken his responsibilities seriously. From the outside, we look like a solid, dependable couple. We raised our children together, ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Seven months ago, my son filed for divorce from his wife of 22 years. Three months ago, he introduced us to "Carlene." Abby, the woman has five children with three different men and is currently married to her second husband. (She filed for divorce two months ago.) She has custody of only two of her children.

Since Carlene entered ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I just received an invitation to a wedding from an old friend. This friend and I used to be close, but frankly, we started hanging out a lot less because I couldn't afford her lifestyle. She always had a taste for more expensive things in life, and that just wasn't my priority at the time. She used to poke fun at me, calling me ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When I read some of the questions sent to you, it is jarring when the writer includes financial information about someone else. They write things such as "... and they can well afford it" or mention that so-and-so "could very well pay their own way."

Are such statements relevant when asking about manners? For example, if a ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm having a problem that feels small, but it's starting to make me dread seeing someone I care about.

One of my closest friends has gotten into the habit of "correcting" me in public. If I tell a story, she interrupts to adjust a detail. If I mention a restaurant, she jumps in with the exact neighborhood and the chef's name. If I...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a Christian. I've raised my family to be Christians, and they have raised theirs to be Christians, even though we may not all be members of the same denomination.

One of my grandsons believes that his denomination is the only one and the rest of us are all sinners. He and his wife have decided that no one outside of his church ...Read more